The Temple of the Divine Sun
Located on one of the highest peaks of The Chin, this ancient temple is perhaps the highest structure in all of Kipernia in terms of elevation. A beautifully ornate structure of gold plated brick with a central spire of stained glass that reaches high into the sky, which in turn has 5 great stones rotating around the top of the spire, each nearly as bright as the sun itself. The light from the tower is visible for hundreds of miles and to many who live in the West it sometimes seems to be a bright star very low on the horizon. It is here that that the legendary Blazing Hands of Pelor train under the tutelage Grand Master Bo Wu-Tang and his 5 Abbots, all of whom seek to spread the good light, protect all life, and repel the evil darkness in the name of Pelor. History Legend says that during the terrible war of the Godstorm, Pelor himself fought alongside a Golden Dragon against a fierce Red Dragon attop one of the peaks of The Chin. The battle was of such fury, and the power of their blazing light so intense, that the battle parted the intense storms of the frost and storm giants who live in the area, and to this day that peak remains eternally clear of the surrounding maelstrom, through this clairity a dull light could always be seen from many in the West. After the Godstorm many worshippers of Pelor saw this to be a very holy sight, though essentially impossible to get to. It wasn’t until a prophet appeared who called himself Wu-Tang and gathered a mass of followers from nearby villages, leading them to the peak. Together, they built what is now the Temple of the Divine Sun. From the many that left the villages and helped build the tower, in the end only 5 survived along with the prophet. These 5 individuals; Rza, Gza, Ugod, Metma, and Indek, were gifted immortality and granted the title Abbot. It was then that Wu-Tang revealed himself to be Bo Wu-Tang, the very gold dragon that fought in that spot with Pelor centuries before, although this secret remains kept among the 6 of them, besides the fact that they are surrounded in myth for their seeming immortality.' ' Though some of the greatest Blazing Hands may eventually be let in on the secret, many do not make it that far in their journey. Those that fall, along with all those who died during the construction of the temple, have their souls returned to the 5 giant crystals, and in turn are brought into the warm embrace of Pelor. The Grand Master and the 5 Abbots The 5 Abbots all have 5 students at a time, each student spending decades training in the ways of the sun soul monk. Training consists of training the body by honing strength and dexterity along with athletic and acrobatic ability. The mind is trained in the ways of patience, compassion, and wisdom. The soul is conditioned with artisian pursuits and the instruction of the dark languages, to remove the fel power that they hold over others. What makes Blazing Hands different from other Sun Soul monks is that they have slightly different training that places more emphasis on the spiritual side, as opposed to the physical. This additional training comes from their enlightenment at the will of their Celestial watcher, it is here that they enter a divine pact and complete their training at the temple. This pact allows them to tap into the divine powers that flow through all living beings. Upon this enlightenment they meet with their Abbot, and with their approval the newly inducted Blazing Hand is sent out into the world on a quest to do good. From this point they will continue their journey and hone their abilities, along with gaining greater divine gifts, as long as they follow the guiding visions that they receive from their Celestial watchers and remain true to the way. Blazing Hands The temple is not by any means the greatest temple of Pelor, but as it was founded on the spot of an ancient battleground for Pelor, it is known for training many champions who fight in the name of the light. Although unlike many champions, the temple does not train clerics or paladins, who pray directly to Pelor for their abilities or take an oath to fight in his name in exchange for power. Instead the trainees learn the art of the Blazing Hand, similar to the fighting style of many monks, however Blazing Hands focus on their inner life force, learning to channel it and link it to the celestial realm. Blazing Hands are selected from birth, in all cases they are Aasimar, although not all Aasimar are selected to become Blazing Hands. The birth is marked by the arrival of a celestial herald, who tells the parents of the child's wondrous fate before taking it to the temple. This is considered an immense honour, and not something to be refused. The parents are allowed to give the child a first name, but after that they will never see it again, and it will know nothing of them. Not all survive the training to enlightenment, and not all Blazing Hands survive long on their quest. Although death is not the end for a blazing hand, for they know their soul will go to the celestial realm that they have only seen in their dreams. For this reason they often put the lives of others above their own and do not fear death. Blazing Hands are not rare, but are not common either. They are typically greeted warmly by those who have good in their hearts. They dress in robes of black that shimmer with bright light when they move, these robes are also adorned with blazing golden icons of the 5 sided symbol of Pelor. Many also shave and their heads as well. There are 5 primary commandments that Blazing Hands must follow known as The Way of the Light The Way of the Light Praise the Sun * Prayer is required at dawn, morning, midday, afternoon, and sunset. A quick prayer is repeated in Celestial while bowing towards the sun 5 times. * A day of fasting on Praysdas is required every week, no food or water may be consumed during this time. * If the sun is not directly visible then prayer must be given upon its return, when venturing to an area without sun a prayer is given if possible. Spread Good * Will prefer to physically help than to simply give gold, which he understands he needs on his quest. * Would rather help the poor than the rich, titles mean little to him. Destroy Evil * Banish the darkness with your light, fight the evil to make room for more good * Be an example of good for others Remain Pure *Be careful not to lose sight of helping the needy / become too focused on destroying evil *Live modestly, rely on the charity of others. Material wealth is not needed unless it aids in the mission. Do not try and underpay people for their hard work. *Punishment is sometimes needed to purify the soul, typically done with a short 5 tailed whip *No drugs, no drinking, no whores, no gambling, all free time is to be spent helping the needy or in meditative prayer / training. Honour Life * Try to reason with humanoid foes, offering them salvation or judgement. Though there are many who are far beyond redemption, and can only be forcibly brought into Pelor's glorious incandescence * Necromancy and the undead are an abomination * Cant leave humanoid bodies uncremated, as it invites necromancy